So my orchid is starting a spike ... now what?
I noticed what appears to be a spike starting on my phalaenopsis. It's probably only been there for about a week or two and, from what I can tell, doesn't grow very quickly. Anyways, I want it to keep growing this spike and flower (obviously), How can I assist my orchid with this process? Do I feed it now? (I'm terrible about feeding it in general.) What NPK? Is there something I should do to help it grow it's spike upwards and not sideways curlicue like its last spike, or should I just let it do as it likes?
(We're looking at the tiny little new growth in the middle of the picture growing to the left ... I know that the light green root curling up to the right and over the plant is an air root.)
Comments (7)
James _J
last monthRelated Discussions
HELP please!!!! My orchid spike broke
Comments (7)I accidentally broke off the tip of my flower spike that was growing. I was so sad. I left it alone and in about 3 weeks it sprouted out of the broken stem! It is growing a little sideways but I am not touching it. Im so excited as this is my first time growing a flower stem....See MoreMy Phal has finally spiked! Now what?
Comments (3)Congratulations on the spike on your keiki! In addition to what Brooke says, keep your orchid in the same orientation to the light source until flowers start to open. That way, the plant can put energy into the spike and buds, rather than into twisting around to find the light. When the spike gets 3" long or so, you can start staking it so it develops more upright or arched than kind of growing sideways, unless you like it that way and have enough room for the next few months. Some people advise fertilizing a bit more often and keeping the medium a tad more moist when orchids are in spike, but tons of spikes bloom without either. Keep us posted. Whitecat8...See MoreWhat's blooming/ in spike for you now?
Comments (83)Well, I resisted reading this thread as long as possible because my collection is supposed to be getting smaller. The current reframing - it's getting more refined. Like that? Not-so-clever rationalization for adding more plants BUT, they're different and almost all are lots smaller than previous ones. Blooming: - Bl. Richard Mueller, just purchased - Dendrobium ceraula (gonzalesii) - still blooming from 8/07, when it arrived - Dendrobium Mini-Snowflake (Den. aberrans x Den. johnsoniae), just purchased - Dendrobium moniliforme, Scented Moon - first moniliforme to rebloom under my care! - Doriopsisium Little Emma (Pixie Star 'Starry Night' x delicosa 'Tinkerbell'), blooming from purchase - Dtps. Kenneth Schubert 'Blue Angel' (Doritis pulcherrima x Phal. violacea), everblooming - Oncidium Twinkle 'White Cap' (Onc. cheirophorum x Onc. ornithorhynchum), 1st time reblooming under my care - Oncidium Twinkle 'Red Fantasy,' 1st reblooming under my care - Paph Estella (fairrieanum x godefroyae leucochilum 'Cabernet Splash'), 1st reblooming under my care - Sl. Marriottiana (flava) (L. flava 'Clone 1' x Soph. coccinea flavum), just purchased In spike/sheath/bud: - Aerangis fastuosa - 1st Ang. in spike for 1st time under my care! - Baptistonia echinata, just purchased - Brassavola nodosa, var. grandiflora, 1st time in spike under my care - Chiloschista pygmeas - in the middle of sequential blooming for the first time under my care - Dendrobium aberrans, 1st time under my care, after skipping the last time - Dendrobium atroviolaceum ('Pygmy' x sib.), 1st time under my care - Dendrobium Himezakura 'Sanokku' (Den. Oberon x Den. Cassiope), 1st time, etc. - Dinema polybulbon, just purchased - Dtps. Sogo Gotris (Phal. Be Tris x Dtps. Sogo Manager), 1st time, etc. - Dtps. Sogo Melinda 'Caribbean Sunset' (Dtps. Autumn Leaves x Phil. Sogo Lit-Angel) - Masdevallia Celtic Frost (Angel Frost 'Orange Parfait' HCC/AOS x glandulosa 'Nemo') - 1st & only Masde spiking for 1st time under my care! - Phal. Baldans Kaleidoscope, peloric, budding from original spike when purchased in early Sept. - Phal. Cameo, aka Phal. Windsong's Sonnet 'Pine Ridge Peloric' (Zuma Poem x equestris) - Phal. Center Stage 'Pine Ridge Cockleshell' AM/AOS - Phal. Guadalupe Pineda (amboinensis 'Pisang Ambon' x bellina 'Whitey'), 1st time, etc. - Phal. I-Hsin Salmon 'Joy No. 3' (Princess Midas X Kuntrarti Rarashati) - Phal. javanica (KF#1 X KF#2), 1st time, etc. - Phal. parishii, 1st time, 2 spikes - Phal. Penang Girl âChing Reuyâ (Phal. violacea x Phal. venosa), 1st time, and I've had this sucker since 6/05. Thrilling! - Phal. schilleriana-stuartiana (schilleriana (2N from the Phillippines) x stuartiana 'Miami Beach'), just purchased - Phal. Summer Beach (Ken Peterson x Mama Cass) - Phal. Tetra Bell (bellina 'Star of Borneo' x tetraspis 'Snow White') - Phal NOID, white - Phal NOID, yellow, 2 spikes - Polystachya piersii - Psychopsis Mendenhall 'Hildos' FCC/AOS (Butterfly x papilio) I didn't realize this many are spiking/blooming for the first time under my care. Exciting! Congrats to everyone - Whitecat8...See MoreIs this a new spike on my Psychopsis orchid?
Comments (20)Thanks DbarronðÂÂÂ, but a psychopsis would actually fall under the Oncidium alliance, which produce sheaths, a phalaenopsis does not have psudobulbs so it don't produce a sheath. But a phal spike would normally come below the third leaf from the top an in the leaf axil. I actually have 32 of them âº, they are my favourite variety. If you don't have any as yet I would suggest you try one, they are easy and the blooms last very long. Thanks again Velleta...See MoreBlueberryBundtcake - 6a/MA
last monthI really don't think it's a root ... it doesn't look like any root it's every had, and it looks more like a spike the more it grows ... Also, it comes out of the lump to the right ...
(Bear with my poor photography ... I had to use a flashlight to get enough light, so the color's a bit off.)
James _J
last monthThe things that have me leaning towards root are:
Color- green tip with grayish body seems like a root. a spike woould be darker and more uniform in color.
Lack of nodes- the growth looks smooth a spike would have a seam at the tip and I would expect to see a node already
like in the photo below
I would also expect the growth to be pointing up to the light.
I might be wrong but even if I’m not it isnt a bad thing. New growth mean its in a growth cycle so you might get a spike soon. I would expect to see one higher up, opposite of the lowest leafBlueberryBundtcake - 6a/MA
last monthJames _J
last month
BlueberryBundtcake - 6a/MAOriginal Author